Forms and Functions of Endings in Narrative Digital Games (Paperback, 1)

Introduction "And who cares about endings." ? On This Study’s Aim and Motivation Spoiler Alert! ? What to Expect from This Book 1 Transmedial Narratology and the Multimodality of Narrative Digital Games 1.1 Transmedial Narratology: A Media-Conscious Approach to the Study of Narrative Framing the Project of Transmedial Narratology Narrative, Narrativity, and Narremes Bringing the "Medial" into Transmedial Narratology: Narrative Potential and Media Modalities 1.2 Digital Games and Narrativity or: the Delicate Question of Modal Dominance The Medial Qualities of Digital Games The Digital Game’s Narrative Potential The Ludic as a Discursive Macro-Mode 2 What Makes an Ending an Ending? Point of Departure 2.1 Ending and Closure as Part of the Narrative Frame Approaching the Ending: "The expectation of nothing" Evoking the Sense of an Ending: Closural Signals Identifying Endings: Conventionality and Position Denying Closure: Narrative Endlessness 2.2 Endless Play and Ludic Closure Playing to an End: Teleology in Digital Games Goals and Completability Tying Loose Ends: the (Narrative?) Sense of an Ending in Digital Games 3 Ludic and Narrative Micro Forms ? The Ending in Isolation 3.1 Isolating and Dissecting Digital Game Endings 3.2 "Once you enter this area, there is no turning back." ? The Beginning of the End Initiating the Sense of an Ending Point of No Return Changes Related to Content Narremes Paratextual and Extradiegetic Labelling 3.3 "Here it is, the big boss!" ? The Ludic Finale The Final Challenge Ludic Design and Gameplay Variations Audiovisual Staging of the Ludic Climax Extraordinariness via Narrative Context Closural Conventions of the Ludic Finale ? Summary 3.4 "It’s over. We can go now." ? The Narrative Finale Distribution of Narrative Closure in Digital Game Endings Closural Use of Content Narremes Audiovisual Closural Signals during the Narrative Finale Agency and Ergodicity during the Narrative Finale 3.5 "Turn your computer off and go to sleep!" ? The Paratextual Ending Phase The Closural Effect of Paratext Game Logos and End Cards The Credit Roll Evaluation, Ranking and Other Meta-Ludic Information 3.6 "The end is never the end is never the end" ? Undermining Micro Form Conventions in The Stanley Parable The Metaleptic Setup of The Stanley Parable Happy Ending? ? The Freedom Ending Tragic Endings? ? Avatar Death and Defeat Paratextual Detours and Endings that Refuse to Stop Confusing Expectations, and Closure, after all? The Stanley Parable and Closural Conventions ? Conclusion 4 Ludic and Narrative Macro Functions ? The Ending as Part of the Entire Playing Process 4.1 Beginning, Middle, End? ? Digital Game Endings in Context Structural Ending Variations in Digital Games Closed Circles and Endless Cycles Don’t Trust the Credit Roll: A false Sense of an Ending 4.2 Open Worlds: The Post-ending Phase "Enjoy everything this world has to offer!" ? Ludic Openness and Completionism Open Worlds and Narrative Closure 4.3 Parallel Potentialities: Multiple Endings in Digital Games Narrative Branching and Player Agency On the Path to Multiple Endings: Choice and Consequence Making a Difference? Narrative, Audiovisual and Ludic Variation All Endings Are Not Equal: Ending Arrangements and Hierarchies Gratification and Canonisation: Why Games Employ Ending Hierarchies A Ludification of the Narrative Mode Multiple Ending Excess in Zero Time Dilemma 4.4 Game Over? The Closural Potential of Failure Sequences Failure and Punishment Failure Sequences with a Sense of an Ending? "As a cyborg, you will serve SHODAN well" ? Narrativisation of Game Over "Wait! That one doesn’t count!" ? The Acceptability of Failure 4.5 The End… or Is It? ? The Pluralisation of Endings in Digital Games What Makes an Ending an Ending? Conclusion 　 References